FW: Navy Times Early Bird Brief

Thank You

Robert Serge

VVA 17 Member

Blog Master

To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember 

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From: no-reply@navytimes.com
To: rserge1@outlook.com
Subject: Navy Times Early Bird Brief
Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2014 04:57:17 -0600

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COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
September 8, 2014 EARLY BIRD BRIEF Get the most comprehensive aggregation of defense news delivered by the world's largest independent newsroom covering military and defense. ADVERTISEMENT	ADVERTISEMENT TODAY'S TOP 5 1. More strikes hit Iraq as Obama plans speech on battling Islamic State (Los Angeles Times) President Obama plans to address the nation Wednesday to outline a broader offensive against Sunni Muslim militants in the Middle East, a move welcomed by a number of key congressional leaders who have come to view the extremist group Islamic State as an increasingly menacing threat to the United States.  2. Shabaab names new emir, reaffirms allegiance to al Qaeda (Long War Journal) Less than one week after Shabaab leader Ahmed Abdi Godane was killed in an American airstrike in Somalia, the group has named a new emir and reaffirmed its allegiance to al Qaeda.  3. The only way to defeat the Islamic State (Retired Army Maj. Gen. Robert Scales in The Washington Post) President Obama may be developing a strategy to confront the apocalyptic horrors of the Islamic State, but he already has a method, a gift of sorts from soldiers who have been fighting similar enemies for more than a decade.  4. Commitments on Three Fronts Test Obama's Foreign Policy (New York Times) In vowing in Estonia on Wednesday to defend vulnerable NATO nations from Russia "for as long as necessary," President Obama has now committed the United States to three major projections of its power: a "pivot" to Asia, a more muscular presence in Europe and a new battle against Islamic extremists that seems very likely to accelerate.  5. Campaign '16: Despite Tough Talk, Little Chance of Defense Increase (Defense News) Potential 2016 presidential candidates are using hawkish terms when it comes to Russia and the Islamic State. But while some are banging the drums of war, few are calling for larger annual US defense budgets.  DEFENSE NEWS WITH VAGO MURADIAN DOD Budget: What's Next? Research and Innovation Gaps at USASPENDING.gov Roundtable Discussion: Defense Spending ISLAMIC STATE Report: Islamic State has anti-tank weapons taken from Syrian rebels (Washington Post) Anti-tank weapons that appear to be from stocks transferred to moderate Syrian rebels have landed in the hands of Islamic State militants, according to a newly released field investigation conducted in both northern Iraq and Syria.  Destroying ISIS May Take Years, U.S. Officials Say (New York Times) The Obama administration is preparing to carry out a campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria that may take three years to complete, requiring a sustained effort that could last until after President Obama has left office, according to senior administration officials.  Islamic State launch gunboat attack on river-side town (Reuters) Islamic State fighters attacked a riverside town north of Baghdad on Monday with gunboats and a car bomb, killing 17 people and wounding 54, a security source said.  In Iraq, fight against Islamic State has produced some unlikely facts on the ground (Washington Post) The urgent fight to keep Islamic State forces from taking over more of Iraq has led the Obama administration to tolerate, and in some cases even approve, things it once would have loudly protested.  Back to Iraq - but for how long? (The Hill) Military officials are signaling that the fight against Islamist militants in Iraq could take years, raising the possibility of a new, open-ended military commitment that lasts beyond the Obama presidency.  U.S. attempts to combat Islamic State propaganda (Washington Post) The stunning rise of the -Islamic State militant group as both a battlefield force and an Internet juggernaut over the summer has given new urgency to a State Department effort to counter online militant propaganda with a U.S. messaging campaign.  Six places ISIS might be (The Hill) The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has established a stronghold in the border area between northern Syria and Iraq, but officials and experts are watching closely to see if its influence will spread to other regions.  Hezbollah prepares to fight IS in Lebanon (Al-Monitor) Nothing in Lebanon suggests that better days are ahead. The new caliphate and caliph are both matters of confusion and concern to many. Even those who had never before thought about politics are now gravely concerned.   Canada to send military advisers to Iraq (Associated Press) Canada is sending between 50 to 100 military advisers to Iraq as part of an effort to bolster Iraqi forces against Islamic militants after a request from President Barack Obama.  With Schools Doubling as Shelters in Northern Iraq, Classes Wait (New York Times) From the look of it, the Khabat primary school bustles with life. Children flit through the building's atrium, weaving between stacked school desks and racing past the colorful murals that adorn the walls.  Iraqi Parliament To Vote On New Cabinet (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Iraq's parliament is scheduled to meet on September 8 to vote on Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi's proposed cabinet.  EUROPE Ukraine's cease-fire in jeopardy as new fighting reported (Washington Post) Ukraine on Sunday sought to maintain a tenuous cease-fire with pro-Russian rebels after a series of breaches endangered the truce, with officials in the eastern city of Mariupol saying one woman was killed and three were wounded in fighting overnight.  NATO Allies Commit to Defense Boost (Defense News) NATO leaders are praising a commitment from heads of state to spend 2 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, a guideline long ignored by many alliance members.  NATO grapples with how hard to push back against Putin over Ukraine (Los Angeles Times) For all of Russian President Vladimir Putin's complaints in recent years about the West's threat to Russian security, NATO had been paying little attention to its former Cold War foe. The conflict in Ukraine has changed all that.  Mixed views in East Europe on higher NATO defense (Associated Press) Leaders in most Eastern European nations are just short of jubilant after NATO created a rapid-reaction "spearhead" force to protect the region from Russian bullying. They have long sought a commitment to allay their fe  Cameron: UK Will Operate 2 Aircraft Carriers (Defense News) The UK Royal Navy is to get a second operational aircraft carrier, British Prime Minister David Cameron announced Friday as the two-day NATO summit came to an end.  Who Defends the Virtual Countries of Tomorrow? (DefenseOne) Does a virtual country still need real military protection? And if so, who provides it? Short answer: Yes, and the United States.  Bases, Capabilities, Jobs at Stake As Scotland Weighs Independence (Defense News) If Scottish voters vote "yes" on the Sept. 18 referendum over independence from the UK, it would carry far-reaching effects on the military and the defense industry here.  Serbia's MiG-29s return to flight ops (IHS Jane's 360) Serbia's fleet of three MiG-29 'Fulcrum' fighters returned to flight operations on 2 September after an urgent delivery of batteries from Russia ended a three-month grounding.  Denmark To Head NATO Effort To Increase Munition Availability (Defense News) Denmark will take the lead in a NATO project to develop ways to increase the availability of munitions between alliance members.  Russia Hardens Military Thinking as NATO Fizzes Over Ukraine (Moscow Times) As West's Cold-War-era military alliance cranks its belligerence levels up to 11, NATO's historic enemy, Russia, is rejigging its own military thinking in response.  German Economic Minister, Corporate Leaders Discuss Exports, Industry's Future (Defense News) German Economic Minister Siegmar Gabriel met on Friday in Berlin for the first defense industrial sector dialogue with about 30 leaders of the country's defense industry. These included the Federation of German Industry, the Federation Of German Security And Defense Industry, as well as the trade union IG Metall, which represents the employees of this sector.  INDUSTRY French Mistral Sale Strategy: Buy Time To Maneuver (Defense News) France's surprise suspension of the sale of a Mistral-class helicopter carrier to Russia is seen as a delaying yet diplomatic move to buy time on a troubled arms deal and ease pressure on French President Francois Hollande with other leaders.  F-35 Fire: In Search Of A Solution (Aviation Week) The long-delayed operational debut for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is at risk of further slippage due to a safety-critical problem with its Pratt and Whitney F135 engine for which no single root cause has yet been identified  Fix Decided on For F-16 Cracks (Defense News) The US Air Force and Lockheed Martin have reached agreement on a fix for a series of cracks impacting F-16B and D fleets around the world.  US to convert older Mavericks into laser-guided missiles as strikes on IS continue (IHS Jane's 360) The US Navy (USN) is to convert its stockpile of TV-guided AGM-65A/B Maverick air-to-surface missiles to the laser-guided AGM-65E2 configuration under a USD49.5 million contract awarded to Raytheon on 3 September.  Small Diameter Bomb II Glides Toward Milestone C (Seapower) Raytheon Co. and the U.S. Air Force completed three successful Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) Guided Test Vehicle (GTV) flights against stationary and moving targets, resulting in direct hits, the company reported Sept. 4. The flight tests are the last GTVs required prior to Milestone C and the start of low-rate initial production.  DoD, Georgian MoD Discuss Blackhawk Helicopter Sale (Defense News) The Pentagon held talks with top Georgian military officials Sunday about moving forward with Tbilisi's desire to purchase Sikorsky Blackhawk helicopters.  Kendall: 'Change in direction' for Better Buying Power 3.0 (C4ISR & Networks) Defense Department officials are preparing to roll out a third iteration of its Better Buying Power initiative aimed at reforming defense acquisition, and the new version will focus on products, innovation and engineering.  Pentagon Seeks New Suppliers, Looks to Become More Business-Friendly (National Defense) The Pentagon believes the cure for many of its procurement woes - soaring equipment costs, lackluster technology and poor return on investment - is to be found in the free market.  Defense cuts, Ex-Im bank weigh on aerospace companies (Reuters) Commercial aviation and defense companies are grappling with dwindling U.S. defense spending, an uncertain fate for U.S. export financing and questions about the readiness of the Pentagon's top weapons program, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.  New at the top: Eric Stallmer is new Commercial Spaceflight Federation chief (Washington Post) I was the fourth out of five kids, and so I saw the writing on the wall that if I wanted to go to college, I needed to help contribute a little bit. Around 17, I enlisted in the Army. I did some time, and then when I went to college, I transitioned to Army ROTC. I did ROTC for four years, and then when I got out of college, I was commissioned as a second lieutenant.  Armor Firms Flocking to UAE (Defense News) Ras al-Khaimah, the fourth-largest emirate in the United Arab Emirates, is rapidly growing into a global hub for armored vehicle manufacturing, producing more than 4,000 vehicles annually, according to figures.  Ukraine proposes defence industrial co-operation to Poland (IHS Jane's 360) Ukrainian military industries holding company Ukroboronprom has extended the offer of closer defence industrial co-operation to Poland.  MSPO Show Benefits From E. European Defense Spending Hike (Defense News) This year's MSPO defense industry show here attracted a record number of exhibitors and visitors, benefiting from Eastern Europe's increasing focus on defense and security triggered by the Ukraine crisis.  Turkey Distancing Itself From Chinese Air Defense System (Defense News) Senior government officials and procurement authorities here have distanced themselves in recent days from a disputed air defense deal with a Chinese company under US sanctions.  VETERANS Post-9/11 vet unemployment at 8.1 percent in August (Military Times) The unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans dropped by more than a point in August, government data show, but the 8.1 percent rate is still well above the dramatic lows charted a few months ago.  Navy veteran loses his nose waiting for treatment (CNN) Edward Laird is one of the faces behind the VA scandal -- a face he says is disfigured because he had to wait so long for treatment. Sen. Harkin: Iowa veteran didn't earn military award (Navy Times) A Marshalltown, Iowa, veteran was erroneously presented with one of the nation's highest military honors by Sen. Tom Harkin after submitting inaccurate documentation, the Democratic senator acknowledged in a statement late Friday.  With wars winding down, VA's brain research failed to launch (Austin American-Statesman) On the morning of July 1, 2008, Department of Veterans Affairs officials gathered to unveil a state-of-the-art brain scanner they predicted would help revolutionize the understanding of traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder in combat veterans.  Feds respond to KARE 11 VA investigation (KARE; Minneapolis) Sources say the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General is flying an investigator to Minnesota next week to interview whistleblowers who told KARE 11 News they were pressured to falsify patient records at the Minneapolis VA medical center.  War veteran finds PTSD complicates the workplace (Houston Chronicle ) The past several months have given Xavier Watt the opportunity to ferry his 10-year-old daughter to and from school, take her to visit her grandparents and go out for ice cream. He does the grocery shopping and keeps the house clean for his wife and little girl. He has time left over to play video games.  Female veterans learn fly-fishing to cope with trauma (San Francisco Chronicle) The only sound in this one corner of Golden Gate Park is the whirring "zzzzzz" of fishing lines, as they arc out over a deep green pond, sending rippling concentric circles toward shore.  CONGRESS Intel Chair: ISIS is a 'major threat to this country' (CNN) Intel Chair Sen. Dianne Feinstein says ISIS is a major threat to the U.S. and believes they "will try to attack our embassy" in Iraq.  House, Senate Laying Groundwork for War on ISIS (Roll Call) As President Barack Obama weighs U.S. options for confronting ISIS, the insurgent group in control of parts of Iraq and Syria, lawmakers in both the House and Senate are moving to ensure that the administration has the authority to take military action if necessary.  Intel Chair: Obama needs an endgame on ISIS (CNN) Intelligence Chair Rep. Mike Rogers tells Candy Crowley that President Obama needs to have an endgame for ISIS.  Top Intel Dem: 'No evidence' for Benghazi 'stand down' claim (The Hill) The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee on Friday said new allegations that U.S. commandos were ordered to "stand down" during the 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya, aren't supported by findings from House and Senate investigators.  Alaska Senate - Sullivan vs. Begich (Real Clear Defense) With the Senate hanging in the balance, a vulnerable Democratic incumbent and Senate appropriator defends his seat by touting his legislative record on Air Force basing, Arctic policy, veterans' issues, and surveillance.  DEFENSE DEPARTMENT Obama: U.S. military to help fight Ebola in W. Africa (Military Times) President Obama said Sunday he will send U.S. military assets and personnel to help contain the spread of Ebola in West Africa. Suicides in first 3 months of year hold steady (Military Times) The Pentagon released its data on suicides among troops in the first quarter of 2014, showing that the Defense Department is holding steady in its battle against self-inflicted deaths.  Hagel Pushes New Tech, Prototyping, Allied Engagement (Defense News) A group of the most senior civilian Pentagon officials took to the hustings late last week to outline what it promises will be a sustained, multipronged effort to improve how the Defense Department develops, buys and sustains its equipment.  DARPA seeks mobile tactical cloud (C4ISR & Networks) DARPA wants a tactical cloud that can analyze data on the battlefield instead of sending it to big data centers thousands of miles away.  Joint Warfighter: Pentagon relationships changing under Halvorsen (C4ISR & Networks) It's been nearly four months since former Navy Department CIO Terry Halvorsen took over as acting CIO at the Defense Department, but that's enough time to see changes in how defense components are interacting with each other, according to one official.  ARMY The Women of West Point (New York Times) Few collegians work as hard as the U.S. Military Academy's 786 female cadets.  82nd Airborne soldier killed in Afghanistan (Army Times) A paratrooper from the 82nd Airborne Division died Thursday in Ghazni, Afghanistan, the Defense Department has announced.  Pentagon's Pacific shift takes root at JBLM as Stryker soldiers head to East Asia (Tacoma News Tribune) Hundreds of Joint Base Lewis-McChord Stryker soldiers are hopping to three different East Asia island nations this summer and fall for a newly packaged series of exercises meant to test how the Army can build up its presence in the Pacific.  US soldier stationed in Italy killed in motorcycle accident (Stars & Stripes) A Vicenza-based soldier was killed on Saturday in an off-post motorcycle accident, according to the garrison.  Rangers tackle Alaska terrain in first visit since 2001 (Army Times) For the first time since 2001, soldiers from the 75th Ranger Regiment are training at the U.S. Army Alaska Northern Warfare Training Center.  Marking 50 years of drill sergeants at Fort Jackson (The State in Columbia, S.C.) Drill Sgt. Danielle Brooks watches patiently as a squad of recruits at Fort Jackson tries haplessly to get a bloodied mannequin, representing a wounded soldier, across an imaginary creek. They are allowed to use only a zip line, stretcher, two carabiner clips and some nylon rope.  Former Fort Bragg soldier accused of stealing personal information gets 2 years in prison (Fayetteville Observer) A former Fort Bragg soldier accused of stealing a "battalion's worth" of personal information from the 82nd Airborne Division has been sentenced to two years in a federal prison.  1st Lt. in contest to launch with private Mars mission (Army Times) When it comes to post-service plans, 1st Lt. Heidi Beemer has a clearer picture than most: She's going to win a global contest, get launched into space, become one of the first humans to land on Mars, and stay there.  Fort Bragg soldier charged in Georgia with child molestation (Fayetteville Observer) A Cobb County grand jury indicted Antonio Deon Rucker of Inkster, Michigan, on charges of aggravated child molestation, child molestation and aggravated sexual battery, according to arrest warrants.  NAVY Inquiry: Frayed wire led to fatal Navy helicopter crash (Virginian-Pilot) A Navy helicopter was dragging a mine-sweeping device through the Atlantic Ocean seven months ago when, inside the cabin, an electrical arc shot from a wiring bundle and connected with a worn fuel line, igniting an explosive fire.  Unmanned jet completes successful week at sea (Navy Times) The Navy's unmanned carrier jet program wrapped up a week of testing aboard the carrier Theodore Roosevelt on Aug. 24, flying the X-47B in a pattern with manned aircraft and testing the system's ability to operate aboard an underway flat top.  Lawyer: Sailor in stabbing case is not competent (Virginian-Pilot) A sailor accused of attempted murder for stabbing another sailor at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center has been declared incompetent to stand trial, his lawyer said Thursday.  Healthier float: What the Navy cut from the mess hall aboard its newest ship (Marine Corps Times) Junk food-loving Marines and sailors who deploy aboard the Navy's new amphibious assault ship might notice a few of their favorite things are missing.  9/11 museum shows SEAL's shirt from bin Laden raid (Associated Press) The shirt a Navy SEAL wore in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden and a special coin given to a CIA officer who played a key role in finding him are being displayed at the Sept. 11 museum, adding potent symbols of the terrorist attacks' aftermath days before their anniversary.  Official funds OK'd for command coins (Navy Times) After a year and a half suspension, skippers can once again use appropriated funds to purchase challenge coins and "presentation items" for sailors and others - a sign the budget picture may be brightening just a bit.  Navy divers remove shells from lake (Post-Star; Glens Falls, N.Y.) U.S. Navy explosives experts removed five crates containing hundreds of military cannon shells from the bottom of Lake George on Thursday, but the mystery of how they wound up in the lake remained unsolved.  Sailors to pilot 27-foot drone for training (Navy Times) he submarine development folks at Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport in Washington state have a new toy: an unmanned drone that can dive a half mile under the waves with battery power that lasts out to 72 hours.  New rules OK ball caps with blue cammies, on base and off (Navy Times) Starting Sept. 1, ball caps are authorized with the Navy working uniform.   AIR FORCE ISR in Syria is a mission for the Air Force (Air Force Times) The disclosure that the U.S. military is flying surveillance sorties over Syria to collect information on the Islamic State and identify potential targets means that one service's fleet is busy in the region, experts say.  V-22 To Participate in NATO Exercises (Defense News) NATO intends to use US V-22 Ospreys in upcoming exercises across the alliance, which could lead to increased interest in the aircraft by European countries, a top commander said on Friday.  AFA holding funeral for 2001 graduate who died in plane crash (Colorado Springs Gazette) The Air Force Academy will hold a funeral service for Maj. Richard Schafer III, a 2001 graduate who died in a plane crash last month, at the Cadet Protestant Chapel on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.  Amputee shares his story of hope with airmen (Air Force Times) After the accident, after the surgeries that took his foot and then his leg, Capt. Ryan McGuire imagined a future confined to a wheelchair.  USAF ends four years of MC-12W ops in southern Afghanistan (IHS Jane's 360) The US Air Force (USAF) has withdrawn its Beechcraft MC-12W Liberty special mission aircraft from southern Afghanistan after four years in theatre, it announced on 4 September.  First Jewish chaplain in 25 years settles in at JBER (Alaska Dispatch) Capt. Michael Bram is not your average airman. With a degree in astrophysics, Bram started out his career wanting to be an astronaut. But after several years in the U.S. Air Force, Bram set his sights on a different lofty goal: becoming an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and serving as a chaplain.  MARINE CORPS Marines complete training milestone in Australia (Marine Corps Times) The largest contingent of Marines to head to Australian on a rotational deployment marked the end of their six month stay Down Under with a three-week training exercise in a remote area of the Outback.  Navy's new amphib highlights the future of Marine aviation (Marine Corps Times) About 1,500 Marines and sailors have been busily testing the capabilities of the Navy's newest amphibious assault ship during a two-month transit in a region that rarely sees a warship of this size.  Poolee drops 83 pounds to ship out (Marine Corps Times) Alexander Klopfenstein had 83 problems standing between him and boot camp.  Reserve entices Marines with promise of 60 promotion points (Marine Corps Times) Manpower officials are offering a generous composite score bonus to encourage more noncommissioned officers to affiliate with drilling units in the Selected Marine Corps Reserve.  No injuries after Marine Harrier makes emergency landing, catches fire (Marine Corps Times) A Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier caught fire Thursday after making an emergency landing in Japan.  AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN Afghans Say Taliban Are Nearing Control of Key District (New York Times) Local Afghan officials say more than 200 police officers and soldiers have been killed during a fierce Taliban offensive in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan that has lasted all summer and now threatens to overwhelm a key district.  Afghans back U.S. pact but worry it won't end violence (Los Angeles Times) At least one thing appears to be certain about Afghanistan's long drawn-out presidential election: The winner will sign a bilateral security agreement with the United States.  Forget the President, Afghanistan's Fate Relies on the CEO (Foreign Policy) The future of Afghanistan may come down to a simple question: Can a country have a CEO?  NATO puts positive spin on its legacy in Afghanistan (Stars & Stripes) Like many servicemembers lately, Army 1st Lt. Josh Pitcher recently returned from what's likely to be his last deployment to Afghanistan. However, Pitcher completed his tour with only one leg.  Afghan Court Wastes No Time Sentencing 7 to Death in Rape Case (New York Times) The seven suspects in the rape of four women had not even gone to trial when President Hamid Karzai assured a visiting delegation of female politicians that he wanted them to be executed - after their convictions, of course.  MIDDLE EAST Israel To Trim 2014 Budget To Cover War Cost, Boost MoD (Defense News) The Israeli government is planning an immediate 2 percent retroactive cut to its 2014 budget to help cover the estimated US $2.5 billion cost of a summer of war.  Qatar's Support of Extremists Alienates Allies Near and Far (New York Times) Standing at the front of a conference hall in Doha, the visiting sheikh told his audience of wealthy Qataris that to help the battered residents of Syria, they should not bother with donations to humanitarian programs or the Western-backed Free Syrian Army.  Al Qaeda veteran takes on a more prominent role as spokesman in Syria (Long War Journal) On Aug. 31, a veteran al Qaeda jihadist known as Abu Firas al Suri announced his presence online with new Twitter and Facebook pages.  Syrian air raids on IS stronghold kill dozens (Al Jazeera) Syrian government forces have launched airstrikes in Raqqa province, killing at least 50 people, as part of its offensive against the Islamic State group who control the area.  Syria rebels, once hopeful of U.S. weapons, lament lack of firepower (Los Angeles Times) As the Syrian government warplane flew overhead, Malik Abu Iskandaroon ran to a storage room and grabbed a Russian-made surface-to-air missile.  Palestinian Leader Assails Hamas, Calling Unity Pact Into Question (New York Times) President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority lambasted his faction's longtime rival, Hamas, at a meeting of the Arab League over the weekend, deepening doubts about the durability of their reconciliation pact and potentially complicating reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.  Chartered commercial jet carrying Americans makes unplanned landing in Iran (Washington Post) A military-chartered aircraft carrying about 100 Americans from Afghanistan to Dubai landed unexpectedly in Iran on Friday after Iranian officials questioned its flight plan and ordered it down, U.S. and regional officials said.  Iran's supreme leader undergoes prostate surgery (Associated Press) Iran's official news agency says the country's supreme leader has undergone prostate surgery in a Tehran hospital. The report describes the surgery as "routine" and says it was successful.  Lebanon army probes new jihadist beheading claim (Agence France Presse) The Lebanese army is investigating photographs purportedly showing a second soldier who had been beheaded by the Islamic State, a military source said Saturday.  ASIA-PACIFIC Chinese Carrier's Purported Air Wing Deemed Plausible but Limited (Defense News) New details have emerged on the aircraft lineup for the new carrier Liaoning, which analysts say is a "plausible" mix of foreign-designed fighter jets and various helicopters, yet limited due to its lack of other necessary aircraft.  Two PLA Pilots Have Died Testing Fighters for Chinese Carrier (USNI News) At least two People's Liberation Army Air Force pilots have died in testing jets slated to operate from the Chinese carrier Liaoning, according a little noticed report published by Chinese state-controlled media.  Analysts: New Modi Government Lacks Clear Defense Policy (Defense News) The dual responsibilities of defense minister and finance minister handed to Arun Jaitley has given short shrift to India's Defence Ministry, and the quick decisions anticipated on weapons procurement have not been forthcoming, said defense analysts assessing the Narendra Modi government's first 100 days.  IAEA sees signs North Korea reactor may be operating (Reuters) The U.N. nuclear watchdog said it has seen releases of steam and water indicating that North Korea may be operating a reactor, in the latest update on a plant that experts say could make plutonium for atomic bombs.  South Korea rules out residual US force near DMZ after consolidation (Stars & Stripes) South Korean defense officials said Friday the U.S. will not leave residual forces near the Demilitarized Zone after it shifts most of its troops on the peninsula to southern regional hubs, while American officials didn't rule out the prospect of leaving some troops behind "temporarily."  At US base, S. Korean ex-prostitutes face eviction (Associated Press) More than 70 aging women live in a squalid neighborhood between the rear gate of the U.S. Army garrison here and half a dozen seedy nightclubs. Near the front gate, glossy illustrations posted in real-estate offices show the dream homes that may one day replace their one-room shacks.  AFRICA Air Force may move drones, personnel inside Niger (Air Force Times) The Air Force may redeploy its remotely piloted aircraft in Niger, moving the drones to a remote area in the Sahara to better position them to watch Islamic militants in the area.  Islamic extremists grab towns in northeast Nigeria (Associated Press) Nigeria's Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram, has seized more towns along Nigeria's northeastern border with Cameroon and is adopting a strategy of encouraging civilians to stay, witnesses said Sunday, as the militants pursue their new aim to carve out an "Islamic caliphate" under their black and white flag.  Report: Malawi Cancels Arms Deal With South African Firm (Defense News) Malawi's new government has cancelled a $145 million arms deal with South Africa's Paramount Group, Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe told Saturday's Nation newspaper.  Tunisia announces militant arrests, ammo seizure (Associated Press) Tunisia's Interior Ministry has announced the arrest of 12 men accused of planning attacks to disrupt upcoming elections.  COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS Pratt and Whitney Offers Some F135 Explaining (Bennett Croswell in Aviation Week) A recent editorial on the Joint Strike Fighter program in this magazine, "Still Some Explaining To Do" (Aug. 11/18, p. 74), failed to address some significant details about progress with F-35 development, and with the F135 engine in particular, and on a broader basis reflects a fundamental lack of understanding of, or disregard for, how aerospace technology advances.  A Wise Delay on Warships (New York Times) After resisting months of pressure from the United States and European allies to suspend an arms deal to sell sophisticated warships to Russia, France has finally taken a step in the right direction. President Francois Hollande announced on Wednesday that the conditions for delivering the first amphibious assault ship "have so far not been met."  Column: Majority Leader Cornyn? (John T. Bennett in Defense News) With Congress slated to return this week from a five-week break - it either felt too long or not long enough, right? - now is a good time to take a trip.  We Could Have Stopped This (Laurie Garrett in Foreign Policy) World, you still just don't get it. The Ebola epidemic that is raging across West Africa, killing more than half its victims, will not be conquered with principles of global solidarity and earnest appeals. It will not be stopped with dribbling funds, dozens of volunteer health workers, and barriers across national borders. And the current laboratory-confirmed tolls (3,944 cases, with 2,097 deaths) will soon rise exponentially.  Obama Is Free to Hit the Islamic State Terrorists (Former Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., in The Wasll Steet Journal) President Obama may soon expand the fight he has begun in Iraq against the Islamic State. If he chooses to strike the terrorist group in Syria, one debate in Washington will be: Does the president need congressional authorization to act?  Why Airstrikes in Syria Won't Work (Rep. Adam Schiff,D-Calif., in The Daily Beast) A senior member of the House Intelligence Committee explains why American airstrikes against ISIS in Syria would do more harm than good.  It Takes A Massacre to Save a Village (Lionel Beehner in Cicero Magazine) The gruesome images of American captives being beheaded by ISIS militants made front-page news. But the war in Syria has produced so many grisly images, I worry that our consciences can no longer be shocked.  How To Defeat ISIL: It's All About The Strategy (Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula in Breaking Defense) Those who oppose ISIL - the so-called "Islamic State" - must grasp the fact that no amount of kinetic force will make up for an inadequate plan to crush it. American power, both within and without the battlespace, will only be realized when power is guided by a comprehensive, coherent and realistic strategy.  The 'slows' of Obama's Islamic State strategy (David Ignatius in The Washington Post) The United States imprudently rushed into war in Iraq in 2003. At least nobody can make that criticism this time around.  Zawahiri's Counter-Caliphate (William McCants in War on the Rocks) The other day, al-Qaeda's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri announced the establishment of a new al-Qaeda affiliate, "al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent." What struck me about the announcement was not so much the creation of a new al-Qaeda franchise in the subcontinent-al-Qaeda has long had ties to the region and the affiliate's new leader Asim Umar is already a known al-Qaeda insider-but rather the way Zawahiri framed the group's creation  Boko Haram Did Not Declare a Caliphate (Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Laura Grossman in the Foundation For Defense Of Democracies) Reports suggest that Abubakar Shekau, leader of the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram, either declared a caliphate or announced that the group's territorial gains have become part of a caliphate. The reports are wrong. In the video he released on August 24, following the group's territorial gains, Shekau did not even use the word "caliphate," let alone declare one. The Foreign Policy Essay: The Price of "Novorossiya" (Carol R. Saivetz in Lawfare) Editor's Note: Pundits in the United States and Europe worry that Russia's invasion of Ukraine heralds the rebirth of an aggressive and dangerous adversary. Yet while Russia's so-far successful military campaign in Ukraine and annexation of Crimea appear to be major advances for Moscow, the regime of President Vladimir Putin is also paying a heavy price. Carol R. Saivetz, a research affiliate in the Security Studies Program at MIT, contends that Russia's economy, control over its far-flung territory, and foreign policy goals are all likely to suffer because of Moscow's recent spate of adventurism.  Has NATO lost its will as well as its muscle? (George Will in The Washington Post) Speaking on Aug. 29 - at a fundraiser, of course - Barack Obama applied to a platitude the varnish of smartphone sociology, producing this intellectual sunburst: "The truth of the matter is, is that the world has always been messy. In part, we're just noticing now because of social media and our capacity to see in intimate detail the hardships that people are going through." So, if 14th-century Europeans had had Facebook and Twitter, they would have noticed how really disagreeable the Hundred Years' War was.

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